An Obsession with All Things Handmade and Home-Cooked

Better than Cheddar

Pondering what deranged, misled cook thought it was a good idea to top a perfectly good apple pie with little shreds of florescent orange cheddar cheese, the combination struck me as downright repulsive. Perhaps sheltered from such cheesy practices, it wasn’t until reading about this oddity online, only a few years ago, did I even know such a thing existed. To each their own, but something as undeniably savory and even downright funky as cheese had no place on the dessert menu. No, not even a cheese course was appropriate in my eyes, the French be damned. I wanted my pie and nothing more!

Naturally, my morbid curiosity got the best of me even after I had verbally condemned the concept to a slow death. Maybe it was one of those things that was so bad, it was actually good, after all. When I finally had the opportunity to find out, I pounced, and eagerly set about experimenting, Teese in hand.

A few plain old hunks of sloppily cut “cheddar” wouldn’t do it though, not by a long shot. Hoping to increase the odds of creating something edible, I employed one of my favorite kitchen gadgets: The ice cream machine.

Your eyes do not lie- That is indeed a generous scoop of “cheddar” ice cream, perched upon a just-baked and still warm apple crisp. It sounds bizarre, and the fact that there’s no actual cheddar in it doesn’t help the cause much, but the results were truly less shocking that I had imagined. Despite emptying a whole package of the orange stuff into the ice cream base, the flavor was quite mild. What hit me first was a lovely bouquet of floral vanilla aroma, followed by the slightest hint of umami and a twang that might be hard for an unsuspecting taster to place. Moreover, what really made this frozen concoction special was the texture. Thanks to the abundant fat, a richer, smoother, and creamier custard could not be imagined. For that reason alone, I implore you to break down your ideas of “normal” and give the recipe a go! If you’re still intimidated by the idea of a cheesy ice cream, perhaps give the Mozzarella flavor a spin first, and rest assured that it’s hardly present when paired with a strong enough vanilla extract.

First, allow all of your ingredients to come up to room temperature if they were previously refrigerated. This is critical, because the Teese changes significantly in texture, and becomes much softer and easier to melt when already warm.

Combine the soymilk, arrowroot, and sugar in a medium saucepan, and whisk vigorously to break up any lumps. Place on the stove over medium heat, and empty the tube of Teese into the pan, whisking gently until the mixture is smooth. Continue to whisk every couple of minutes, until the mixture comes to a boil. Cook for about a minute longer, until fully thickened, and turn off the heat. Add in the vanilla, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate.

Let cool, and chill thoroughly for at least 3 hours before churning in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer the soft ice cream to an air-tight container, and store it in the freezer for another 3 hours minimum, until frozen solid, before serving.

Oh ! My goodness ! I must try this ! Love when recipes are unusual ! And you know what ? That’s exactly how I love making vegan dishes. Surprising people with flavors they wouldn’t imagine. Congratulations for that wonderful ice-cream !

hannah, you have once again blown my mind! so creative! i’ve heard of this cheese-pie combination and had some not-so-positive thoughts about it. but i think you’re changing that :-) when i was traveling in mexico many years ago, i actually had cheese-flavored ice cream! i don’t remember what type of cheese, but it was pretty good, so i totally believe in your recipe here!

Yeah, I always thought it was weird to put a slice of cheddar cheese on top apple pie. I encountered something even more odd a few weeks ago. We were at Costco’s and having a snack in the food area. We got Melody a frozen yogurt (chocolate and vanilla). At the next table, a family was eating their frozen yogurt with the hotdog bun that came with their hotdog. I was fascinated and appalled at the same time.

The idea of cheeses in dessert doesn’t really surprise me, but this is the first time I’ve heard of cheddar being used. I could imagine it in a fruit salad or something, but in ice cream it does sound a little odd.

However, I don’t doubt your judgement when it comes to heavenly desserts, so I trust that it must be good! (Can’t try it myself, as we have no Teese or any decent vegan cheeses in this country.)

I’ve read your blog for awhile, but this is my first time commenting. This post definitely has me intrigued. I’ve been wanting to get an ice cream maker for a long time, and after reading this I think I might just have to break down and do it! Thanks for sharing!

This cheddar ice cream intrigues me! Makes sense for topping pie though, as my mom and aunt both enjoy apple pie with a slice of cheddar. Also, cheese-flavored ice cream is not uncommon in the Philippines, where people eat ice cream in hot dog/hamburger buns (like that family at Costco mentioned in a previous comment). Thanks for sharing!

The cheddar cheese apple pie combo actually doesn’t repulse me at all…in fact it kind of makes me drool a little. But cheese ice cream! That has me a little taken aback. But not so much that I wouldn’t try it out. I wonder if it could be done with non-vegan cheese as well…

It actually doesn’t sound so very wrong to me.. :) Cheese and apple… hmm, quite a good match in my mind… And this icecream certainly looks the part. I finally bought an icecream machine (only to find out it doesn’t fit in the freezer) so I will soon be making all those lovely icecreams myself!

I like the way you think…Outside the Box! I will definitely be expanding on this idea. Not at all as unusual as some folks make it out to be. After all, people have been putting a slice of cheddar cheese on their apple pie for as long as I can remember. You just took it to another level of creativity and refinement. Good show! Keep up the good work. The sky’s the limit!

I grew up with the cheddar and apple pie thing in Michigan, so it never seemed odd to me. But then, we’re not talking about the floppy, fluorescent orange stuff that comes in single slices from a manufacturer, we’re talking about wedges of real cheddar cheese (which may or may not be vaguely orange, often it’s white). Thanks for this idea as a non-cheese way to accomplish the same!

Cheddar and vanilla? I wouldn’t have thought about it. I knew that vanilla was surprising, giving nice flavours in savoury dishes. This time, it’s the cheddar that becomes surprising. I have to taste this. Thanks, I LOVE discovering new combinations.

Apples and cheddar are a match made in kitchen heaven, so this looks wonderful! I’ve yet to venture into crazy ice cream, but I think I could do cheddar. Perhaps with a drizzle of honey and some candied nuts it would be a great little dish on its own.

In the Philippines, there are several sweets that mesh the cheddar cheese in there for a touch of the savory. Especially with ice creams. Those islands pay homage to cheese in ice cream like it’s nobody’s business. Their the only country I’ve known yet to do so. At least traditionally. I know how nasty that might sound but it is actually a pleasant surprise! I have not yet been able to get any of my friends back home in the states to try it though. I think their missing out. I plan to make a vegan version of a Philippine traditional favorite, “Maiz con Queso” (Cheese and corn) ice-cream for the holidays. Hey don’t knock it till you tried it! lol It’s the BOMB!